The perfect steak is salty, sizzling, and singed on the outside, said the editors of Cook’s Country. But the inside should be “juicy, red, and almost buttery.” Most steakhouses achieve this ideal contrast by using industrial-strength grills or broilers to create a formidable crust. These appliances can build up a substantial caramelized crust because they often reach quadruple-digit temperatures that quickly evaporate surface moisture. Home ovens or grills seldom get to more than 500 degrees. “So you can kiss good crust goodbye.”
Yet we’ve found a way to create a decent imitation of a steakhouse crust. We put unwrapped steaks in a freezer for an hour before grilling. (Putting them in overnight to “quick-age” also works, but seems too much of a bother for a simple grilled steak.) This shortcut succeeded in dehydrating the exteriors enough that they were able to develop “a first-class crust.” An even faster method is to thoroughly salt the steaks, then put them in the freezer for just 30 minutes. My kitchen may not have “the swagger and mahogany of a steakhouse,” but that night it did serve a perfect steak.
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